Now that Robert Griffin III’s shredded right knee has been surgically repaired and the NFL Players Association has decided not to demand an official inquiry into the handling of his injury, going back to December, the noise in Washington has receded to a dull roar.

Dr. James Andrews repared Griffin’s lateral collateral ligament and reconstructed his anterior cruciate ligament on Wednesday. Andrews also cleaned up a small tear in the medial meniscus (cartilage). Part of the ACL reconstruction involved taking a portion of bone and tendon from his healthy left knee and grafting it to his right knee.

Head coach Mike Shanahan has been getting flayed in the local media for what is perceived his mishandling of RG3’s injury, specifically that he had allowed the quarterback to go back on the field with a serious injury.

Friday’s decision by the NFL Players Association that it would not be asking for an official inquiry, as is its right under the collective bargaining agreement, should stem the controversy further.

“Playing through pain is a harsh reality of our business and our union will always hold the League and the clubs accountable to the best medical care,” said NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith. “Our thoughts are with Robert as he recovers from his surgery and we hope he returns to full strength.”

One Washington radio station has changed its call letters, just for this weekend, to ‘WRG3’. The station plans a non-stop RG3 love fest in which fans can call up to extend their best wishes for the quarterback’s recovery.

And while the storm of controversy has begun to calm down, as Yahoo sports commentator Jay Busbee points out: “Call us crazy or call us Nostradamus but we’d recommend that Mike Shanahan not listen to WRG3 this weekend.”

Mark Adickes, a former Redskins lineman (now an orthopedic surgeon who performed reconstructive surgery on Griffin’s right knee in 2009) believes that Griffin could return from this surgery in time for the Redskins’ 2013 regular-season opener. He also predicted the quarterback would make a full return to his 2012 pre-injury level of play.

While giving the Redskins and their medical staff a pass, the NFLPA, along with just about everyone in the NFL, joined the chorus of complainers about the deplorable condition of the turf at Fed Ex Field.

Most vocal in his criticism was Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, but others have joined in. Shanahan, himself, has said the team will look into the idea of resurfacing the field with artificial turf.

Taking The Heat, Rewards

Speaking of NFL guys who are taking a lot of flak, how do you like Jim Irsay now?

A year ago the Indianapolis Colts owner made some powerful decisions, firing the entire front office, including president Bill Polian and head coach Jim Caldwell, while letting the iconic face of the franchise, Peyton Manning, walk as a free agent.

Fans and media critics called him crazy but what ensued has been one of the most amazing turnarounds of any team in sports. Manning’s brilliance had given the Colts and their fans a dozen years of outstanding results but, with Manning slow to recover after several neck surgeries and due to get a $23-million balloon payment if the Colts kept him on, for Irsay, it was a no-brainer.

“I didn’t want to flip it because I like continuity,” Irsay said this week. “It was just, it needed to change. No one wanted to see or realize that it was over. But it was over.”

Their 2-14 record in 2011 resulted in their getting the first pick in the draft in a year where two brilliant options — Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III — were available. Irsay and his new football bosses decided on Luck and the rest if history.

“It was just an incredible year,” Irsay said. “It’s one of those things that I think 15, 20 years from now, people will look at the way we reorganized our team and what we did and I can see where there might be an owner asking a GM that question about turning it around that fast and the GM will say that’s too unrealistic to think about. And I can see the owner saying, ‘Well, the Colts did it.’ ”

With rookies taking up about 40% of the roster, the Colts won 11 games, finished second in the division and made the playoffs, losing last Sunday in Baltimore.

“Now they got one under their belt and they know what to expect. We tried to paint as clear a picture as we could going in,” head coach Pagano said on his season-ending radio show.

“We had 28 players on this football team that had never participated in a playoff game, haven’t been part of the atmosphere, the electricity, the energy. The venue we played in (Sunday) is one of the toughest to play in so moving forward it’s invaluable.”

Andrew Luck aside, GM Ryan Grigson had a stellar draft last spring and if he does half as well this year, the Colts should be in decent shape. They are predicted to be $40 million under the salary cap.

COWBOYS HIRED KIFFIN

The Dallas Cowboys have opted for a blast from the past to renovate their tired defence.

Seventy-two-year-old Monte Kiffin, with 47 years of coaching experience behind him, has been named to replace Rob Ryan who was fired earlier this week.

Kiffin is widely praised for his “Tampa 2” defence, which puts two safeties deep and relies on speed, tackling and a versatile middle linebacker who can drop into coverage.

Kiffin coached 26 years in the NFL, including 13 as Tampa Bay defensive coordinator before moving to the college ranks to handle the defence for his son Lane’s teams at Tennessee in 2009 and at Southern Cal the past three seasons.

The elder Kiffin took a lot of heat for the underachieving USC defence this past season when it had a disappointing 7-6 record. He resigned at the end of the season, citing a desire to return to the NFL.

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RG3 could be ready for Redskins' season opener

Now that Robert Griffin III’s shredded right knee has been surgically repaired and the NFL Players Association has decided not to demand an official inquiry into the handling of his injury, going back to December, the noise in Washington has receded to a dull roar.

Dr. James Andrews repared Griffin’s lateral collateral ligament and reconstructed his anterior cruciate ligament on Wednesday. Andrews also cleaned up a small tear in the medial meniscus (cartilage). Part of the ACL reconstruction involved taking a portion of bone and tendon from his healthy left knee and grafting it to his right knee.

Head coach Mike Shanahan has been getting flayed in the local media for what is perceived his mishandling of RG3’s injury, specifically that he had allowed the quarterback to go back on the field with a serious injury.